The Simple Truth
by 0xPockyx0
Summary: The pure and simple truth is rarely pure and never simple. Zero x Yuuki. Divided by lifestyle and by their own choices, will Zero and Yuuki come to their senses and be truthfull with themselves, ..and each other? Set sometime after chapter 65ish
1. Chapter 1: Imprisoned

**Chapter One: **Imprisoned

_In our natural state, we are glorious beings. In the world of illusion, we are lost and imprisoned, slaves to our appetites and our will to false power_. - **Marianne Williamson**

_Blood. Blood ran, dripping down the contours of her chest... _

_'Im...injured...?' gently, cautiously she felt her brow, her cheeks, her nose... The scent...that nostalgic scent... what was it... so... familiar..._

_Her fingers dragged to her mouth, wet with a sticky sweetness that made her catch her breath... 'This is... blood...? ...MY blood?' _

_She inhaled, a rich bouquet of scent was brought to her sensitive nose... that sweetness with an underlying metallic tang... 'No... not mine..." she realised with a flutter of both relief and fear..._

_Shaking... with a featherlight touch of discovery... she returned her hand to her lower lip... slowly moving to taste the source of that sweet scent... what was that!_

_'Fangs... FANGS! what AM I?'_

_'What am I... to you...? Yuuki... yuuki... yuuki...' That scent.. that nostalgic scent... flowed from him just as the blood did from his wounds... His voice fading as he fought off multiple assailents, He shot constantly, bringing down a foe with every shot... _

_Horrified brown eyes met violet, as they both realised instantaneously he was overrun. She searched his greifstricken face and found the answer to a question she wasnt even aware she'd asked. _

_Slowly, his eyes locked on hers, he fired at his foes one last time before putting the gun to his own temple._

_BANG_

_'Noooo!.. ZEEEERO!'_

_she struggled against unseen bonds, unable to move or do anything as the life ran from his still-open eyes.._

_'Zero no!... Zero!...'_

"...ZERO!" cried Yuuki sitting bolt upright in her windowless room. Swallowing a sob she fought to free herself from her entangling bed sheets, rumpled hopelessly by her restless sleep. Realeased from their strangling hold, she sat atop her covers, knees pulled up to her chest as she wept away the impassive darkness of her dreams... although unable to lift the feeling of imprisionment.

As soon as her sobs quieted, servants swept in, lighting the many lamps surrounding the cavernous room, keeping their eyes averted and bowing as they left her in solitude once again. It would not do for a Pureblood to be seen doing something as lowly as crying.

She drew on expensive slippers; Silken and pale orange, pressed with golden leaves; and padded softly to her writing desk, glancing at the ominous grandfather clock in the corner in passing.

_3 O'clock... In the morning or afternoon I wonder?..._

It was impossible to tell. Here in this windowless room, she wondered why the time mattered at all. When she was tired she slept, when she could no longer contain the horror of her dreams she woke... eating didn't matter... she was never satisfied anyway.

She tapped her pen listlessly on the side of the delicate stationary hoping to finish the letter she had started last night? yesterday?

_Dear Chairman_,

It began...

_Dont make that face just because I didnt start this with Dear Father. Even though it seems too weird to call you that after all that has happened, and the return of my memories, In my heart you are still the man that loved and raised me all these years._

_..._

_He'd probably cry over that, _she thought with a small flicker of a smile

_..._

_I hope that the rebuilding of the school is going according to plan, and that they still manage to recapture some of the old building's charm, even if it will never be quite the same, I'm sure the students will love it just as I did._

_..._

Even if the grounds were returned to their former glory Cross Academy would never be the same, and she could never go back...

...

_I got to see Yori very briefly not too long ago..._

_..._

She had no idea how long it had been since the Vampire Ball...

...

_She seemed worried about me but pleased to see me face to face again. I never thought Id miss having a roomate; (especially such a snorer;) But I do. I suppose she has a new roomate now, If I knew who it was then maybe I could reccomend to them the earplug brand I found most reliable._

_..._

She scanned the rest of her aimless letter, chatting this way and that, while skimming over the questions she wanted to ask... Is the Academy still running?... Is there still a Night Class now that almost all the old class had left?... Is Yori ok? ... Have relations betwen the Hunter Society and the Vampire Senate improved?... Is there any way he could send her her childhood stuffed rabbit? she had left it buried in the closet of her old room, wrapped in an old T-Shirt so people wouldn't notice it...

Then there was the questions she shouldnt ask... How was _he_. Had he grown into his new powers? ...Was he safe. ...Was he... happy. ...Did he even miss her?...

She swallowed the lump rising in her throat, tried to ignore the weight in her stomach, and finished off by writing that she was safe so not to worry, her love to them all, Yuuki xo

...

The useless object in the corner now read 5 O'Clock she noticed as she pushed away from her desk, too bored to stare at her second untouched sheet of stationary any longer. Realising her unkempt appearance, She began to run a brush though her long straggling hair, as usual her heart skipped a beat slightly as she went past her accustomed shoulder length stroke.

A soft knock echoed through the room from the oak double doors she often forgot were there.

"Yuuki, If you are decent, may we come in?" A silken voice enquired.

"Uhm...Yes!" She replied, trying in vain to smooth her sleep creased gown that she hadn't changed from in days as the door swept open to frame her lover (Though he was never physical with her) and host (_Captor..._ whispered unbidden thoughts). Kaname walked casualy in trailed by a thouroughly miserable looking Aido lugging a stack of textbooks on etiquette and math (_Her favourites..._ she though wrily)

"Yuuki.." Kaname began taking in her dishivelled apearance with a hint of forelorn dispproval in his voice "You really must take care of yourself... are you not pleased with the wardrobe I brought you?"

She thought of the fine lace and silk gowns shoved hastily into her ebony dresser as she stammered thanks to him once again. Somehow the fact that most of them required a second person's aid to help her put them on didn't help her trapped feeling. She wished with all her might for a simple, practical outfit, and for the space and purpose to use it.

"Of course not Onii-Sama," she bowed, mouth soured by the lie, "They are wonderful... I just... Didnt want them to stain while I wrote." she gestured towards the messy desk, splotched with ink and torn up paper.

"More letters.." sighed Aido, rolling his eyes until an icy glance from Kaname caused him to stand straight and serious once more.

"Indeed Yuuki, you are aware that we cannot risk sending them, our existance here is quiet and safe only so long as we ourselves keep that way" Kaname remonstrated. He gazed at her downturned face in silence for a while before continueing "I need to go out again," he said slowly, stepping forward "I will be gone for two days, then return only to sleep before I must be gone from your side for a whole week."

She shrugged in understanding. He needed to leave. To do aristocrat things to keep up appearances. She needed to stay and "be safe", it was nothing new. At least he got to leave if only for a time... feel fresh air on his face... she thought wistfully.

"Yuuki..." he said raising her head to face him with a hand under her chin, Aido politely became very interested in the wall mouldings. "Are you...Hungry?"

_Not for you...Never for you..._

"Im fine", she said avoiding his eyes... _Then he'd know..._ she thought.


	2. Chapter 2: An Old Flame

**Chapter Two**: An Old Flame

_The flame of anger, bright and brief, sharpens the barb of love_. - **Walter S. Landor**

He was furious. Furious at his own stupidity.

_Sloppy, _he berated himself, _Sloppy, Overconfident.._

He inhaled sharply as the cool cloth dabbed at the wound deep in his chest, just below his collarbone. Glaring daggers at his former teacher who looked on unmoved.

"You'll live," Yagari intoned gruffly, "I cant get the damned thing out if you dont sit still dammit!"

Reapplying his emotional mask, Zero Kiryuu, former human vampire, looked out into the distance, to all appearances quite bored with the situation. The quickened rate at which vampires could heal themselves was derived from health, and he was rundown lately. The large splinter of a tree trunk embedded in the wound didnt help it heal any faster either, filled with the adreniline of a battle with 6 renegade noble grade vampires last night, he hadn't paid much attention to the wound, much less made an effort to tend to it, untill he got back to Yagari's (and currently his own,) residence the following evening.

He perferred Yagari's place, he told the chairman. Yagari made far less fuss (none in fact) at Zero coming in and out at all hours of the day and night, sometimes fine, sometimes half dead. If it had anything to do with escaping old memories, no one mentioned it. Likewise, it remained unsaid that Yagari's was a mere 10 miles from _that_ building, seemingly delapidated and abandoned...above ground anyway. It was towards said building that he stared, although it was out of sight, to both human and vampiric senses... he knew exactly what direction it was in.

_...rrrrip_

"Yeouch!" He sat up with laboured breathing and another of his most fearsome glares for his teacher/doctor who was now holding a rather impressive hunk of blood soaked wood.

"Sorry," Yagari grunted "Bigger than I thought"

"Apology... not... accepted..." He gasped, lying back and closing his eyes to the dieing light.

...

"As long as your sure" said Kaname, searching for eye contact but being denyed it, he let go of Yuuki's chin and moved away, distant once again. "Aido is ready to begin your studies for the night, I'll leave you in good hands."

"Th..thank you.. Kaname-Sama" Aido bowed to him as Kaname left the room with a slight wave of his hand.

The two of them fell into chairs as though they were puppets with their strings cut. One bored, one angry. Aido busied himself setting out books and papers, he was glad to do something that made Kaname-sama thankful to him, but the girl wasnt exactly a pleasure to teach. I mean look at her, staring off blankly... theres not even anything to stare at in here. He mentally prepared for the challenge of making her pay attention with a deep sigh.

Yuuki sat there, arms limp in her lap, aggrevated beyond belief. Not with Kaname directly, more with herself because once again she had been unable to broach the subject of getting to leave the house. If she could just have a room with a _window_ that would be at least something! Why was it that whenever she met with him she wouldnt remember, or couldnt, or something... it was as though he put a spell on her. It wasnt the first time he'd made her forget. Kaname was long gone by the time they spoke to one another.

"We will start with..."

"No."

"Im sorry, what?" Aido blinked, taken aback.

"I said...No." Yuuki stated quietly but firmly. Aido blinked a few more times then laughed.

"I know you hate maths, but im the best tutor you could ever hope to get," he bated running his fingers through his hair "You're lucky I put up with you, even though it is by Kaname-sama's request, no one could have the patience to talk you through all of this as slowly as you seem to need"

Her eyes flashed at him as he caught a rare glimpse of her still unfamiliar power, he suddenly felt as though he should back down, but he fought the urge and settled for glaring grumpily back at her. She stood up suddenly, rage mingling with despair as her emotions boiled over.

"You are _not_ the best tutor I could get, you're not even the best tutor I've ever had!" she snapped, _he had more patience...he even explained it better... _"I _hate_ maths," _she told herself it wasnt because _he_ was so good at it that she knew doing badly meant staying up studying with him... _"I _hate_ studying! I _hate_ you! Get out of my room! _out_! OUT!" she said shoving his books into his hands as she pressed him towards the door.

He stood in the doorway shocked for a moment before looking withdrawn. He glanced at his watch and sighed.

"Its almost dawn, you must be tired. I suppose you need to have an early night, or morning so to speak. Ill come back the next night, behave and maybe I wont mention this to Kaname-sama." he said, eyes flashing, "Sleep well... Yuuki-_sama_" he stressed that last word making it an insult somehow as he swung the door into place.

Embarrased but vindicated by her outburst Yuuki fell onto her bed, burying her face in the mountain of pillows. Once luxourious her bed now felt suffocating.

A mere hour later, an extremely subtle change in the stale air told her it was daylight outside, her anger, fading to a warming fizz just under her cheekbones, lifted the gloomy feeling of the past few weeks enough for her senses to improve once more.

_Daylight means no outside guards... No one expects danger from malicious vampires during the day..._

Unthinking, she began to pull on a mismatched outfit.

_Just... one...breath. Just one breath of fresh air and she'd come back and behave_... she told herself. Ignoring the voice that said she was lieing to herself.

She pushed open the heavy double doors with no small effort, and cautiously crept up the dark hallway. As she reached the ground floor, she blinked against the natural light, so new and yet so familiar. She inhaled... deeply... _The scent...that nostalgic scent... what was it... so... familiar... _images from her nightmares pressed into her vision in quick succesion, it couldn't be! But she knew she was sure...

"Zero...!" she threw open the windows and was about to leap through when..

"Princess Kuran, what are you doing up here?" Demanded one of her guards as politely as possible, she was a pureblood after all. She spun to face him and captured his eyes with her own, drawing on her pureblood will to use it against someone for the first time.

"You will leave me now. You will leave this window open until I return. You will tell no one, NO ONE of this. Understand?" She intoned, shaking as the transferral of power rushed through her. The guard bowed, hand over his heart as she lept out the window into the dappled light.

"Yes... Yuuki-Sama"


	3. Chapter 3: Falter

**Chapter Three:** Falter

_Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning_. - **Albert Einstein**

By midnight, the fever Yagari had fought to prevent earlier that evening had set in. 24 hours of inattention had allowed infection to root itself in Zero's chest in spite of his supernatural immune system, burning through him like wildfire. After sleepless hours filled with half formed horrors of flames and despair, Oblivious to his vunerability, he slept, giving way to his usual dreams of what never was and never will be.

...

_Zero..._ she mused with every labouring breath as she followed her nose as quickly as she dared through the dense forest. _Probably hurt himself fighting... _sighed one voice with wavering hope. _Maybe he did it to himself... _breathed another, filled with guilt.

Not long after she set out, she stopped for a drink at a nearby stream and noticed an ache building in her feet. Amused by the mundane needs brought on by moving with a purpose, she took time to breath deep of the forest air, savouring how _alive _it smelt, before leaving her pinching, pretty slippers under a nearby bush and continueing onwards.

Trees thinned out as she reached the outskirts of a well hidden clearing. Nestled within their thorny embrace was the brambles' treasure, a basic but extremely functional cabin, the source of the scent that was so _Zero. _She wanted..._needed_... to get closer.

With all the dignity and stealth of an elephant in tap shoes, Yuuki crept forwards and stumbled over a woodcutters axe into the handle of the well, sending the bucket reeling. Down it tumbled, clattering on every surface on its drawn out decent, before coming to rest with a resounding splash. Wincing (she was found out for sure...) she peered past the well into the ground floor window framed by not quite pulled-to curtains. After a minute of no movement within the house, she abandoned the deer-caught-in-headlights pose and moved in further with far less caution. If he was here, he'd be outside by now... _must have just missed him _she thought wistfully... But she was certain he _had_ been there... recently too.

She jumped lightly up onto the windowsill and slid inside, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the sudden change in brightness. As the details of the room slowly bloomed into her vision, the wind was knocked out of her by the sight she least expected.

_Zero..._

_..._

Slowly, she drank in the sight of him... long slender legs encased in dark jeans lay askew on a pallet, tangled in hastily thrown aside blankets. Her eyes roamed up his naturally toned stomach, and with a painful twist in her chest, to a bandage near his left shoulder, dark with old blood. Creeping closer, she shakingly pulled the bandage aside to reveal shiny pink new skin, still raw, but healed. Breathing a sigh of relief she let the wrapping slide back into place as she leaned over him. He sighed in his sleep... his hot breath on her face making her conciously aware of how close to him she now was.

_He looks softer when he sleeps... _she thought running a delicate hand through hair so silver it almost glowed in the halflight.

"_Yuuki..._"

She jumped as Zero whispered in his slumber turning his head slightly into her touch. _Does he know im here...? _she thought, butterflies in her stomach.

"_Yuuki...be safe... _"

He was worried about her..? puzzled she hoped for more tidbits of information.

"_Dont..."_

"Dont what?" she half whispered back involuntarily.

"_Dont... leave me!"_

He grabbed her wrist with a sudden force that shocked her, breathing hard, she realised he was still asleep, clamping her free hand over her mouth in an effort to not make any more sound. She stood there for long minutes, unable and unwilling to remove her hand from his. Noticing his fevered brow she glanced around in search of water, and spotted a basin and cloth clear across the room. She gently pryed away from his grasp...

"_Please...!"_

The desperation in his voice made the breath catch in her throat, but she was determined. With a flash of de ja vu, she reassured him.

"Zero... I _will_ come back"

He loosened his grip just enough for her to pull away. She lightly ran across the room, seized her targets, and fast as she dared without spilling any, made her way back. Wringing out the sodden cloth she murmered about silly men who dont look after themsleves and smoothed it over his painstricken face. He relaxed slightly under her touch, _Now you look like good old Zero again... _she smirked with the thought. _But nothings how it used to be..._ her face fell with the thought, _It cant be... Im different now... we're different... _she put the basin aside and placed her hands on his cheeks, _To check if his fever has improved,_ she told herself.

Her eyes were drawn to his lips, drawn tight by dehydration. So expressive... every little flicker of emotion that drenched his eyes was mirrored in barely desernable movements in the left corner of his mouth. She knew them all, hate, despair, greed... even the rare hidden smile. She knew _him_. The proximity to those expressive lips drew her memory to every admiring, insulting, terrified, frustrated time they had whispered her name. _Yuuki..._ No one, not even kaname could draw the same shiver from her with a single word. She had always put it down to the strength of emotion behind his comments...

She was shaking the box of puzzle pieces that was her existance, spreading them out flat in a way that lent speed to her ability to connect them together. She had already gathered several random groups of interlocking sections since her memories began to return. Succeeding only in a few faces, some emotions, a location or two... Nothing truely relevant to the big picture. They could only float around in the complete border, unsure of their proper place. She needed to fill in the gaps, extend them till they met in a way that revealed the truth, in short she needed to sort by colour.

Surely a puzzle was as simple as sky, trees, earth. Blue, Green and Brown. Green would be in the middle. Complimented by both Blue or Brown. But Blue and Brown clashed horribly. Green... Trees, needed both air and earth didnt they? Trees continually reached for the sky, they exchanged mutual love, but never physically touched really... Trees loved the Sky, and the Sky loved the Trees in its own way. They both knew the Trees needed the Sky to live, there was no grudge between them for it. But it was lacking passion.

But when you think about it... the Trees couldn't reach for the Sky if it wasnt for deep roots within the Earth. Anchoring them, balancing them, nourishing them with physical sustinance. The Trees took from the earth, but gave back the energy sweetly... covering the Earth with deadfall and leaves, protecting it, nourishing it. Without the Trees, the earth would sour, barren and unable of supporting life. Without Earth... Trees would desicate, wither, fall over... die. There would be no trees. When the Sky was overcast, unseen to the Trees and the Earth, the Trees still had enough light to live. The Earth drank greedily from the overcast Sky, but in the end, it was all for the Trees, everything was. The Earth gave completely to the Trees, all the while thinking it was greedy, taking advantage of the trees dependancy, when truly, the Trees felt greedy, demanding life from the Earth. The roots ran deep...


	4. Chapter 4: Theft

**A/N: **Big thanks for my first more-then-a-sentence review :D Its gonna get more and more Zeki I promise ;O

**Chapter Four: **Theft

_Then I did the simplest thing in the world. I leaned down... and kissed him. And the world cracked open_.- **Agnes de Mille**

It was past noon when she became aware how long she had been sitting there as he slept soundly. Subconciously comforted by her presence it seemed. She hovered above him, staring at his mouth as though it was on the verge of revealing some great secret. She loved him. That much she knew. But in what way?... He smelt so good to her... Was it familiarity, or attraction?...

She continued to stare, starting to feel embarrassed about taking advantage of his weakened state to scrutinise him to her own ends. He resettled himself slightly, putting her off balance as she caught herself a mere few inches between her own lips and those she stared at so intently.

_A vampires thirst could only truly be quenched by the one they love..._

Kaname's blood held no stay for her anymore. She hungered, and hungered but it became increasingly obvious that she was not sated. Was it Zero's blood that she craved? What did she crave...

His lips... so close to hers... the gentle puffs of his warm breath...

What did she crave...?

Something was teasing her... just out of sight of her minds eye... a memory resurfaced. Zero...on the couch...waking up suddenly and grabbing her... lips drawing maddeningly close, but not close enough. Did she want to... kiss Zero? Surely not. _He wanted to_, she realised suddenly,_ even back then..._ How long had he wanted to?

Every near miss, every confusing, awkward little interaction that ended with a pat on the shoulder or head, reeled through her mind. All that time... had he been wanting to? How did that make her feel?

Confused. That was an easy one. Sad. That he hadn't confided in her each time she asked what was wrong. Worried, definitly worried. ...Dissapointed. _Wait a minute! Dissapointed! Did I just think that! _She closed her eyes and took a deep shuddering breath, she focused on one of the "situations" her and Zero had found themselves in... pushing away the other emotions, beating them down to a subtle hum instead of an overpowering roar, what was that under them all? That ache in her chest, the twisting weight in her stomach, the letting go of the breath she didnt realise she was holding... That was dissapointment.

_She wanted to kiss Zero..._

Harried thoughts raced around her mind, Zero had been like a brother to her, could she be in love with him? _Kaname is you brother. In the very least he is related to you. Related by blood._ Blood... She needed blood... Was the blood she craved, the source of inner peace, lying in front of her right now? _He smelt soooo good... she must have him..._ But would he have her? he said he hated her, what she had become, _what she always was... _

_"I could never hate you... Yuuki..."_

Which statement was the truth? Did he hate her, or just say he did to drive her away?

_She wanted to kiss him..._

Slowly, she drew her tongue over her lips, dried by her own shaky breaths and by his. 'If he already hates me, he cant hate me _more_.' she rationalised. But she held back... just... it seemed to much like stealing.

"_Yuu...ki..." _Zero groaned in his sleep, biting his lower lip... One fang drawing blood...

Within a split second, her eyes narrowed, flashing blood red, all reason gone. That settled it, as the blood spread through the tiny lines on the surface of his lip...

She kissed him.

...

_Yuuki... his beloved Yuuki... was running from him. drawing teasingly close and then dashing away. There was danger ahead... He had to tell her... she just wasnt observent enough by herself, he had to be with her to keep her out of trouble._

_"Yuuki!" he called out "Yuuki... Be safe!"_

_She giggled maddeningly. His stomach twisted, he both loved and hated her laugh. Loved its gorgeous reckless abandon, pure enjoyment... Hated that it wasnt his to keep._

_She was almost out of sight..._

_"Don't...!"_

_She was out of sight._

_"Don't leave me!" He cried, pure despair, he couldnt live without her, he didnt want to. "Please..."_

_She suddenly appeared behind him, her scent so enticing, even in his dreams._

_"I'll come back" she teased with a smile, before dissapearing again._

_He searched and searched for her... Out of breath... damn near out of his mind..._

_"Yuuki..." he sighed... falling to his knees, biting back bitter tears. Biting..._

Soft warmth drew him from his dreams, or so he thought. He must still be dreaming... because Yuuki... his Yuuki... _No...he only wished she was his..._ was astride him on his makeshift bed in Yagari's living room... _Kissing him._

...

She kissed him. Gently at first, with barely descernable movements, gaugeing her own reaction to him... the taste of his blood on her lips. Slowly, without pulling away, she ran her tongue along his full lower lip, gathering the rivelets of blood that burst with the sweet fragrance of a meadow of flowers... a million loaves of freshly baked bread... the taste of an enourmous room filled to the brim with candy... of fresh water after a 10 mile sprint... It was the sweetest smelling, most delicious, most _satisfying_ thing she had ever had in her entire life. His blood wasnt all... there was also him. The slight ripples of his chest and shoulder muscles under her hands, the way his lips felt both soft and hard under hers, his personal gentle musky scent that mixed with the metal tang that was his work, the earthy smell of the horse that was his recreation, even the salty twist lent by the spicy noodles he loved... were just all so..._ Zero._

She felt like something was being pulled from her... from shivers down the back of her neck... to a tightening in her chest... to a heat in her lower abdomen... culminating in a strange twitch and moisture in places she avoided refering to like it was the plague. That moment was simply perfect... The world could break open and swallow her up and she wouldnt care as long as she could keep kissing him. This was nothing like kissing as she knew it... she would have said she liked kissing well enough... But this went far beyond liking. He was perfect... pressing back just enough...

_...PRESSING BACK!_

...

It wasnt the first dream like this he'd had. It was particularly vivid... but a dream none the less. His Yuuki wouldnt be straddling him, kissing him... digging her nails unintentionally into his shoulders. That was what he wanted.. not what she wanted. This desperate overboiling of affection. Her gentle hands, and gentle scent were so accurate... though it was not quite as passionate as he normally envisioned her. He was scared to kiss back, to get too excited, or he might wake up. This dream was too good to end quickly. She ran her tongue over his lip, tasting him, it drove him mad. He began to answer her tentative movements with cautious ones of his own, and noticing her increased pressure, pressed back. She stiffened. _No... dont stop yet... _he calmed her lavishing attention on her lower lip untill she softened once more and pressed back again, _That was his girl... the only girl for him..._

He was kissing back. It drew another twitch in reply to the soft nibbling movements carressing her lower lip. Is he delerious? Did he know it was her? She somehow doubted he'd kiss just anyone with this fierce passion that was somehow still holding back. She thought she could analyse her reactions to him, to figure out her feelings by kissing him. She thought she'd have time to think. She didn't. Nothing was more relevant at that moment then his lips on hers, his hands on her back and neck, her hands dug into his shoulders. He may be holding back, but she couldnt. He was the taste of freedom and passion and she wanted it all for herself. Ignoring the complicated questions brought up by him kissing back, she drew the passion into herself, and returned it three fold.

She was kissing back. A quick flash of relief. He had managed to secure her attentions once more after the slight wavering caused by him kissing her. He allowed just a tiny trickle more of his hot passion to present itself in his kiss, and to his shock, it was returned, with equal if not more passion. He could stay like this forever...


	5. Chapter 5: Honesty

**Chaper Five: **Honesty

_The pure and simple truth is rarely pure and never simple_. - **Oscar Wilde**

After long minutes, they both remembered a neccessary bodily function. Breathing. Drawing apart, panting for air, they both opened their eyes for the first time. A hazy unfocused heat emenated from both chocolate and violet eyes. She ran a shaky hand through his silver tresses as his hand, huge by comparison, cupped her cheek. They stared...and stared...and stared...

She smiled at him. The smile of someone who knows something you dont, and is aching to show off their discovery. Confused, his eyebrows snapped together with an almost audible click, as he took note of her long hair, and of the slight smudge of crimson on her chin. Blood? his blood? Long hair... blood thirst... _Vampire._ His Yuuki, a vampire?

Memories rushed back to him, fighting, awakening, leaving... Yes he remembered. His Yuuki wasn't his. She was a pureblood vampire, the bane of his existance, and she belonged to _that _man.

But... he was dreaming... wasnt he?... Yuuki was never a vampire in his dreams... she always had that youthful, short haircut, pearly, straight teeth... not long straggling locks and pointed fangs... in his dreams. She was never like this in his dreams... this was what real Yuuki looked like... The... real...Yuuki.

He slowly lowered his hand. She looked saddened by the loss of touch, and stopped her own caresses.

"Dont stop..." she begged "I missed you so much... Zero..."

_Missed... me...? _But... in his dreams, they were never apart! As the last fog of fever and sleep left him, a trecherous voice ruined his blissful ignorance, by pointing out the truth. Not a dream. The real Yuuki. Here. _On _me. Kissing me.

His eyes widened in shock, then quivered in disgust, then narrowed in hatred. Pulling away as though burned Yuuki unbalanced herself, leaving him the opportunity to push her unceremoniously onto the floor.

"_Vampire!"_ he spat venomously at her, leaping to his feet. He was sickened with guilt, for the disgust and hatred in his eyes that tore at Yuuki was not for her, but for himself. It could have been anybody sneaking in on him while he was defenseless. Worst of all it had ben her. He'd never felt so vunerable in his life, he _hated _feeling vunerable. Someone could have killed me, _She _could have done much worse then kiss him. The shock was too much, too many questions to ask, feelings were to complicated, _everything_ was to complicated. Why was nothing ever simple?

"Out!" he roared, fists balled up at his sides.

She scrambled to her feet.

"I said get OUT!"

_He didnt like her... he hated her... _She sobbed as she lept out the still open window and ran back to her prison.

...

"_Out..._" he whispered to her retreating back.

...

She ran. Trying to run so hard and so fast as to escape the wretched guilt tearing at her insides. Not only had she betrayed Kaname's trust by leaving her rooms, she had put herself in danger to visit another man, a man who hated her. A man she loved with every leaping heat filled moment of their kiss, with every touching, joking, maddening, memory of her childhood, with the bloodlust of vampirism... hated her. She wanted to drown herself in her guilt, to hate him back, but she couldnt. Already three quarters of the distance back, her jellied limbs demanded her to slow down, and she complied as cramp seized her calf. Rubbing deep into the muscles of her legs, she cried out her anguish. As painful as it was, her heart hurt far more. Just as she had almost completed her puzzle, a hunk she had long since considered stable was whisked away entirely, leaving a gaping hole. Once her feelings for Zero had surfaced, she was sure his hatred of vampires would't be relevant. Any doubts she had that he would still liked her had melted in the firey licks of his kiss...

She bit gently on her lip... remebering... those wonderfully terrorifying kisses... the sweetness of his life seeping slowly from the puncture in his lip...

_"OUT!"_

She jumped once more with the mere memory of his voice using that tone. She wanted to hug him, comfort him, sooth away that pained expression... but he didnt want her.

_I may not love kaname the way he wants me to, but I'll try, I promise I will. Ill be so good to him he'll never tell me to get out... Ill be good... even though I want someone else... he doesnt want me... Ill be good..._

Decided, she leapt up and ran the final stretch back to the abandoned mansion as dusk fell. Vowing to surpress the wailing of her broken heart.

...

God did he want her...

Burning shame and anguish overcame him as soon as she was out of sight. It cost him so much to be harsh to her... every hurting word, every retraction from her touch seared with the cold piercing of his heart. Everytime he hurt her, he hurt more it seemed for it just screamed wrongness deep within him to not hold her, to not kiss her, to not tell her how he felt...

He wanted her so much that he was sure she'd break from the burden of how much he loved her... If she loved him this much and he didnt like her even half as much, he'd feel terrible. Wretched. Uncapable of loving as deeply. He would become bitter and cold and never feel equal to the love she'd give so freely. He didn't want that for her. Even if she did return his feelings... he knew he'd always love her more... and that that might cause her pain. He would give anything for her to never experience pain ever again... _even if it means I have to hurt her... Im such an idiot, that doesnt even make sense in my head..._

_Shes better off with _that_ guy... _But I want her... _She loves being pampered in that mansion of hers... _Other than a fondness for pink, shopping, and cute animals, she was never that girly... she was never above getting dirty doing some hard work..._ holed up with her dear brother that shes wanted all along... _That was just for her safety... she owed him... maybe she felt like she had to go with him... _she was probably just messing with me...that kiss... _but it was so... divine... _Probably learnt it from _him,_ kissing like that... disgusting... _gorgeous... _vile..._ adorable... _vampire!... _Yuuki!...

Why was it that he could always work up such a good arguement with himself?

He sighed angrily, head in his hands. _If she was so happy... why did she come to find him? To rub it in...? then why would she kiss him while he was still asleep? was she afraid he'd fufil his promise to kill her? _he chuckled feebley at the thought... it was a snowballs chance in hell that he could ever pull the trigger at her. _She couldntve.. y'know... just wanted to kiss him... _unlikely... that was always his dreams, not hers... the only person who could know for sure is her...

...

_The change in the girl is remarkable... _thought Aido as he conducted his lessons the next day. She sat straight, didnt talk out of turn, didnt fidget... she was still _dreadful_ at her math but she had her head down and tried her best. He credited the change to himself of course. His comments had obviously finnally sunk in overnight (...day), and he couldnt wait to show Kaname his bride stuck firmly in her proper place.

...

She bowed. She scraped. She "Yes, Mi'lord"ed and "Thank you Mi'lady"ed. She never spoke unless spoken to, paid strict attention, and held her hands crossed firmly in her lap to avoid fidgeting. It helped that she was exhausted from being not only awake, but running around in sunlight during the period she normally slept. Everyone assumed she was well rested after a goodnight (...days) sleep. She pinched her thigh as she bowed to avoid looking up. She dug her nails into her palms as she "Yes, Mi'lord"ed and "Thank you Mi'lady"ed, so she wouldnt talk back. She bit the inside of her lip and cheeks till they bled to not comment, or backchat, ask questions or answer things not directed at her. With every held back comment, every straightening of her back, every polite but oh so fake smile, her spirit died a little. And as she fell into bed after 36 hours of emotional upheaval and physical stress, she chanted that she would be even better tommorow, she'd already screwed up once, she wouldnt lose Kaname as well.

Sleep took her, filled with unfufilled promises, and the flash of violet eyes... the caress of ghostly lips and the promise of a tattooed neck... She wept without wakeing for the unsatisfied passions within her... Only ice, cold and emotionless, could hold her heart together.

**A/N: DO NOT FEAR, Im never ever never ever gonna make this story favour Kaname over Zero. **

**Need to see more of Zero? **_.com/_


	6. Chapter 6: False Hope

**A/n: Sorry it took so long to update! I only have time to write on my days off work, and i just had 11 days straight of nine+ hour shifts .; The chapter I was intending to write ended up taking a loooong time to get to the point, and was 3x as long as my usual chapters, so theres now two chapters to start with, and my intended chapter im halfway through right now ^^ enjoy, and please review! it inspires me to write in my lunch breaks, and I do try to include all of your wished for scenes. Im getting the feeling this is heading for a lemon at some stage but I'd hate to ruin a story im happy with so far if people dont want it. Opinions please! (if so it will be an estimated 3-4 chapters away ;)**

**Chaper Six: **False Hope

_Hope in reality is the worst of all evils because it prolongs the torments of man_. - **Friedrich Nietzsche**

The setting sun glared with the promise of tommorow on the horizon as Kaname re-entered the stronghold he had built for himself and his companions, half a day ahead of schedule. A falling out between two nobles had caused an early end to the conference he had been attending. With none of his usual cohorts attending, he chose to back away as gracefully as possible and punish the usurpers later. The afternoon travel and the inability to act as he wished irritated him, the piercing ache behind his eyes adding to his usual aloof indifference. Maybe seeing Yuuki would make him feel a little less... irksome.

He had made it barely two feet inside the door before Aido was bowing in front of him, trying in vain to smooth the wrinkles from his sleepwear.

"Forgive me, Kaname-Sama." he stuttered, stealing glances through the hair obscuring his eyes in an attempt to judge his Masters mood, "We were not expecting such a swift return"

For the most part ignoring him, Kaname strode past him with a dismissive wave of his hand, heading towards Yuuki's chambers. Seeing his intended goal, Aido fidgeted, fighting the urge to interupt, as he took two steps for each one of Kaname's. He was saved from the internal conflict by one of Yuuki's personal maids posted at her door.

"Kaname-Sama," she bowed deeply, and remained in that position "Forgive us, but Yuuki-Sama is presently resting. She had a full day today. Do you... wish for us to wake her...?"

With another flash of irritation, Kaname pulled his hair slightly as he ran his fingers through it along his temple. He wasn't starving, but he was peckish, and had been toying with the idea of feeding on Yuuki. It wasnt like he hadn't resisted that temptation before he supposed... His eyes alight with the glow of vampirism, he extended his senses to examine what lay beyond the doors. He felt the warm glow that was Yuuki, tainted by a bitter smear of cold darkness, exhaustion...and something else... Was it worth the loss of face to demand that they awaken Yuuki to satisfy his desires? That he, a pureblood, was suseptable to bloodlust?

"No." He stated, emotionless, "That will not be neccesary."

He turned on his heel and sauntered futher down the hall towards his own adjoining rooms. Darkness...he needed to be out of the light...natural and atrificial for a while. He stopped just before opening his bedroom door, pondering about the next gathering he was due to attend.

"But Aido..."

"Yes!"

"Send her to me when she awakens..."

"Yes... Kaname-Sama..." Aido monotoned as the doors came to a close with a snap.

...

Yuuki slept late. Her restlessness and near constant tossing and turning had amounted in very little actual sleep all day, and only once night fell, the pattern set by over a decade of habit helped the exhaustion along. Mid-"Morning" in the household, the echo of activity resounding through desolate halls broke into her subconsious, causing upheaval in her peaceful dreamscape. She awoke, if possible, _more_ frustrated then when she fell asleep, it seems keeping quiet was not her forte. Maybe, she could be "good" by instead being very honest and forthright. Feeling a bit more purposeful, she swallowed the lump in her throat that seemed constantly present lately, and began to attend to her appearance.

...

The moon had fully risen, to vampire "Midday" as Kaname lazed in the solace of his study. Reports of Yuuki's actions the previous day had confirmed his thoughts. If she was finally cowed, and would behave as expected of her, then she was ready to attend the week long political convention at the ruins of the vampire senate buildings with him. He had been debating it since he first discovered its purpose, would she be ready? She had been so restless, so distant, that it seemed lose lose. If she stayed it would be possible that the extra week of no attention in her rooms would cause her to rebel and leave the house herself, that was unacceptable. If she came with him, it was possible she would consider it a treat, and therefore behave, and it may have the secondary effect of easing her feelings of isolation. However, it was also possible that she would rebel in the public forum, bringing her training back to square one, and ruining her reputation, and as her master, his reputation would also suffer. The news of yesterday eased his fears.

_She must be finally broken _he mused with a slight smile, tipping his brandy glass of blood to the ceiling in a twisted salute, then draining it. With a slight flick of his hand and servant appeared at his side in an instant to take the empty glass.

"The girl, Yuuki, bring her to me" He fought to keep his usual indifferent, bored tone in his voice.

The servant bowed as she exited through the double doors backwards, alarmed by the glint in Kanames eyes. He would take her, he decided. He toyed with the concept of her adoring response, and the powerful feelings it evoked in him, as at the other end of the long dark hallway, the same servant ran to Yuuki's bedchamber.

Yuuki was lazily winding a light silver/blue ribbon through her newly brushed hair, when one of Kaname's personal attendants came rushing in like the building was on fire.

"Princess Kuran, I shall assist you to dress immediately. Kaname-same requests your presence in his study, forgive my indescresion of offering an opinion, but he does not look in the mood to wait, I think we should hurry."

Yuuki took in the servants flustered appearance, and hair that had undoubtable been tugged on repeatedly due to stress, and nodded her compliance. Thankful that the notoriously improper girl wasnt going to object to a process that was hard enough with the co-operation of the wearer, the servant fetched a light pink gown, Kaname's favourite.

Yuuki sighed and reach upward to remove the ribbon that had taken her fancy earlier, it had reminded her of Zero's hair... and simultainiously reached for her brush again.

"Nonononono, what are you doing!" fretted the servant woman, wringing the beautiful garment in her hands.

"It doesnt match... I have to change it"

"No time! ...Fine!" the servant stomped back to the wardrobe, thrust the pink ruffles back into lacy oblivion, and retrieved a silvery-blue empire-waistline dress that was a very similar colour to the ribbon, if not a perfect match. "This one then!"

Yuuki smiled at the frustrated mutterings of the woman as she laced the bodice onto Yuuki's frail form. It reminded her of Zero's "God-I-hate-shopping" tone... not that he ever helped to dress her, she blushed. Feeling slightly too revealed in the spaghetti strap dress, she grabbed a dark blue bolero jacket and added it to the ensemble before submitting to being practically dragged down the hall to the study.


	7. Chapter 7: Time

**A/n: Oh and also, I write these in wordpad, and so dont have spell check, and never bother checking it manually, so sorry if I spell junk wrong x.x**

**...**

**Chaper Seven: **Time

_Both in thought and in feeling, even though time be real, to realise the unimportance of time is the gate of wisdom_. - **Bertrand Russell**

Left just inside the study door, Yuuki hugged herself against the cool air that emenated from the stone walls. Kaname turned and surveyed her, eyes narrowing at the dress in that colour he despised, he wondered briefly if she held the same connotations with that silver/blue as he did. Taking in her blank expression that still managed to clearly scream "Brrrrr I'm cold" he guessed that her thoughts didnt range beyond that and smiled. Beckoning her over to the aysemetrical antique sofa he was lounging on, he sat up further to accomodate her. Hands together on her knees, she perched awkwardly on the edge of the couch, still unsure of whether employing her new honesty theory would be recieved well.

_God this room is cold... Im sure my room isn't this cold... my room doesnt really have any heating besides the slight heat from the lamps... _

She fidgeted as she settled in beside him, he normally came to her room to talk to her rather then requesting she come to him... something was up. The edge of her gown not quite reaching the floor sent chills from her exposed ankles all the way up her legs. Lifting her feet up to rest underneath her, she fussed with her skirts so that her legs were covered, and surpressed a sigh of relief as warmth spread through them again. Kaname interpretted this as her moving to be closer to him, and with a smug sense that he'd made the right decision about her, he put his arm around her. Far from helping her warm up, his icy grasp seemed to suck all the heat right out of her, she was shocked by her own feeling of disgust at his touch. Surely he noticed... how she flinched away from his touch... the stiffening of her shoulders when he was near... the avoidance of his gaze... It screamed wrongness. Not only did she not love him as more then just family, she was begginning to think she didnt love him at all...

He didnt notice. Her didnt notice her silent, subtle rebukes of his affection. He was far too concerned with self pride in his ability to shape her to his needs. People had told him that she had learned bad habits in her years as a human, that she would never stay in her place, behave as expected... bow to him. But they were wrong. In time, he had acheived just that, the shaping of his princess, his ideal bride, into what she will be the rest of her life. With an internal sigh the slight sense of a challenge she had posed becoming obsolete, he still felt inflated with the satisfaction of getting exactly what he wanted. Again.

_... _her internal monologue was interupted as she realised Kaname was saying something.

"...which as you know, would be advantagous in terms of Our interests and Our survival."

Blinking bleakly until she realised where he was coming from she made a wild guess.

"Yes it would, Kaname-Sama... So _exactly_ what would I need to do?" her stab in the dark seemingly fit in with the conversation because without missing a beat Kaname continued...

"Very little my dear, your attendance should suffice to retain our standing in the court, your beauty and your example behaviour coupled with my assurances and intelligent contributions are the perfect examples of what we stand for."

The compliments were lost on her as the "example behaviour" and implications that she would have nothing worthwhile to say in an intellectual gathering stuck like barbs under her chilled skin. _I mean sure political nonsense makes my head spin, but anything worth discussing Im good at debating about. Zero always says... said... that I could talk a man's ear off_...

But it didnt matter what _He _ thought anymore did it. It was Kaname that mattered... She fought to shrug off her indignant thoughts.

"I have noticed that you have been a little stir-crazy lately, and I thought that perhaps this little outing would help, You havent left your room for a long time."

_A little! _she almost laughed. _Yes...havent left my room..._ she looked everywhere but at Kaname

"It does seem like a long time" she admitted, _since he needed me... since that kiss..._

"Well it seems you have got over your childish state of mind and have realised your place is here. I have always told everyone that I would make you come to your senses in the end"

_Childish... Your place... make you..._ why did his words seem to echo in her head? _Please... I hope... not good enough... _those sentiments were never even thought by men like Kaname-Sama... let alone admitted out loud... only by..._Him._

"I shall be honoured to take you with me, I'll have the example of perfection by my side."

_I _shall, _I'll _have, _my_ side. _Take you_. Possesive possesive possesive. Nothing but pretty words... but the meaning and feelings behind them are anything but. Clinging... but without passion... without desperation... no need just wanting... greedy...

_Was he always this controlling? this underhanded? manipulating with every word... telling you what you want to hear yet seething betrayal. _The vile, bitter taste that had lingered as she bowed and scraped, as she "behaved", as she was an "example"... this reeked of it. The calculating features of her consort seemed suddenly transparent. She didnt like it. It made her feel...dirty... Zero knew. He always knew, always saw this side of him. No wonder he despised me spending time with him, with this nonsense. With a chill of his lank arm over her shoulder, brushing slightly on her neck... she gained insight. _Is this all he knows... all he's ever known...? deciet... lies... backstabbing... power games. All this time... _She had feelings for Kaname-Sama. New and frightening. Not love, as she once believed, not familial affection, as she rationalised. Pity.

She drew back, and looked into his eyes. She wasnt angry with him for being this way. To be angry with someone you have to have strong feelings for them one way or another. She had neither. She smiled.

His thoughts of her adoration of him in a public forum bolstered his ego. Made him bold. Almost happy... no... never happy. He pictured the other purebloods, and nobles, even commoners jealousy of what he had, and the importance that lent him. His inspiring thoughts were interupted as she pulled away and looked at him. Something in her eyes... those evocative, powerful eyes that had always gleamed to his vision, winked out of existance. And she smiled.

He suddenly felt like something had been taken from him. Something rightfully _HIS_. What was that emotion... that reaction he had harboured from her untill now was gone. She didnt react to him at all. Positively or negatively. He craved reaction, how dare she not react to him. She still needed him. She got hungry like everyone else right?

"Yuuki, how inconsiderate of me, you must be starving." he bared his neck slightly by lowering his shirt collar. She didnt notice, in fact she looked a little confused for a second, then registered the movement and its implications.

"Oh that, no thank you, I'm not thirsty" she smiled reassuringly.

"Not...thirsty..." his face clouded over like a sudden storm. _ Not thirsty... _there was no way she could not be thirsty... he was _starving_... promised to each other, they would only partake of each others blood... blood tablets helped over the long stretches that they were sometimes apart... he personally had drank from a few people when they took his fancy... none of them were quite as satisfying as Yuuki's blood though... but she had access to no one... and besides she hated taking blood for herself. He often had to bite himself before she would feed...

She avoided the expected response. Equivelent to "How are you?", "Fine thanks, How are you?". No one said they were not fine, or in this case, not hungry. It threw a spanner into the works of the entire conversation. She suddenly found it vitally important to not feed Kaname, refusing his blood made it easier. But regardless of her "Fine thanks" response, returning the "How are you?" question was perhaps even more expected. She didnt want to give him her blood... it was private... her thoughts, her life, was private. Just like the other thing she had been avoiding giving him. Asking him if he was thirsty in return was more or less offering herself to him, and despite her vow to be good, to be perfect for him, her actions were far to habitualised. To be good, she had to stop, think, double check response, respond. It seemed she had used up all of her patience yesterday, because it suddenly seemed impossible to say anything but what was on her mind. She had to get out of here... _before he tries to _take_ it..._

She gracefully rose to her feet, wincing slightly as bloodflow returned to her legs, and bowed to him...

"I'll need to pack, is there anything else, Kaname?" she was so lost in thought, she simply forgot to give him an honourable title, but it was far from lost on Kaname. No one, _no one_ addressed him like that, no one ever had. It wasn't because she was so familiar with him that she felt she didnt need to use it, there was no affection in her words. That was lack of respect. He'd never been so insulted by his own kind in his whole, sheltered life.

"Aren't you going to ask me if _I_ am thirsty?"

_Oh god he brought it up... _She bowed again and stayed bowed.

"Well are you?" His voice rose, demanding.

"N...n...no, Kaname..." she had never said no to him before. It was a night of firsts.

"Sama!" he hissed at her, closing the gap between them. She stumbled back at the unexpected movement, hands clenched to her chest, eyes wide.

"W...w...what?"

"Kaname _SAMA, _Kaname SAMA! How _dare _you afford me no honour. I am your host! Your fiancee! the only family you have left and you do not _respect_ me?"

_There_! a twinkle of fear, a reaction, it placated him slightly. The emotion dulled... twisted... back into pity. Stronger and more obvious now. How dare she. How _dare_ she?

He took a deep breath and immediately regretted letting his emotions show. Suddenly calm, scarily calm for someone that angry, he stepped back once more. He had been wrong.

"It seems I am mistaken. You are not fit for society yet," He turned his back on her and continued as he paced, "I will attend alone, and _you_ shall attend to your studies alone. I feel you have outgrown Aido as a tutor, and will advance quicker by reading."

It was a punishment in a way, he knew she craved interaction. Depriving her of something she hated, was in this case, a worse fate.

"You may leave." he stared at documents on his desk, feining inattention. She hadnt moved. "I _said_ get out!" His dissapointment was plain, his ideal world, ideal wife, seemed further away then ever.

_Get out! _Get out! _Get out! _these words echoed in her head, in two different voices as she was escorted back to her rooms by a stonyfaced guard. One mid range and emotional. One deep and foreboding.


	8. Chapter 8: Passion

**A/n: Your gonna hate me for this one X3**

**Chapter Eight - **Passion

_Only a struggle twists sentimentality and lust together into love_. - **E. M. Forster**

Before Kaname was down the the rough road that tapered into the distance later that day, Yuuki had aquired the letter-opener from Kaname's study. With a few comments to her servants she was left entirely alone. Kaname had left Kain and Ruka as her guards, trusting them to stick to his ban on giving Yuuki attention, and allowing him to take his more imposing looking guards with him to the conference. It would not do to show that he had teenagers as his protection. She wasnt entirely sure what she was going to do... she just knew she needed to be alone, and to aquire a weapon. Her tasks done, she sat on the end of her four-post bed, the small dagger in her hands. Twirling it rather unskillfully, she began to think...

Was she really considering it? _a way out...? The curse of the purebloods... Vampirism... or was it to live forever in this hell unless brutally killed by their own kind... this hell...this solitude... the damned... do I have a choice...?_

She had a choice. The cold purity of the metal before her seemed enticing. She began to remember...

_Yuuki burst into Zero's room, arms flung wide, heart tight with panic. She lept and knocked the Bloody Rose from his hand, pinning him to his bed the ache in her chest building... she felt sick... if she had been a moment later..._

_Zero looked into her eyes for a split second, deeply, before flipping her over so that Yuuki was now the one pinned to the dark green bed... despite her panic, a lurch in her stomach, and ache... responded to him pinning her down... against sheets that smelled so strongly of him..._

_He points the gun at himself... tells her to shoot... she refuses. She cant. Not to anyone, least of all to him, she cant do it. _

Selfish... couldn't help him... _for his own good? _no. You did it solely for you, you wanted to keep him... _against his will_... was what she did anything different from what Kaname was doing to her? this forced life...

He said he would kill her... was this saving him the trouble...?

These thoughts... he knew them better then anybody... if only she could talk to him about it...

_Images flashed through her mind... if they did it together... ended this misery... coiled around each other for eternity... finally at rest..._

She knew what she had to do...

...

A dank underground bar shed scant light on Zero's moonlight hair as he waited for his target. He had a clear shot from this allyway and hopefully could avoid any trouble at all. He was tired, but determined. He wanted at least one kill to check off his list for the night. He sensed his target getting up to leave, but not the back way as he expected, but through a side door. Cursing he crept around the corner right into the middle of a large group leaving at once... humans... humans... humans... where was that lifeless bastard... THERE!

Swiftly moving through the crowd with almost feline grace, he drew Bloody Rose from his coat pocket.

"What do you think you're playing at eh!" Two drunks began to shove each other back and forth, a fight ring of people formed, cutting Zero off from his target. Cursing again, he elbowed his way to the center. He pulled the ruffians apart only to have three of their friends jump on his back.

"I... Hate...IDIOTS!" with each word a man went flying... they were no match for him sober let along drunk out of their minds. He hated drinking... hated the removal of inhibitions... hated not to be in control of your own actions and hated those who thought it was a clever and fun idea to do so. He lost his patience entirely, he elbowed aside the last inebriated bystanders, and seized the former human hiding amoungst them. Holding his targets shirt firmly, he fired his gun into the air, scattering the crowd as quickly as it had amassed.

A chill wind swept trash aside as it funnelled down the allyway... The hair on the back of Zero's neck stood up. Oblivious to his captive pathetic struggles he listened for something that wasnt a sound. Something was wrong. Very wrong.

In one fluid motion Zero tucked the order of execution into the vampiric drunkard's pocket, kicked his legs out from underneath him, and shot him directly between the eyes, in-mid run towards the distant woods.

...

At first he thought the iminent danger he had scented was from his own and Yagari's residence, but as he broke through the brambles surrounding it, it was clear it was further away. Just as suddenly as it came to him, the danger dissapated, then was replaced with a scent he both despised and loved, rejected and needed... in such amounts that his heart almost stopped with the realisation of its source.

"No..._ Yuuki...!"_

...

He'd never ran so far so fast in his entire life, the terror driving him made no allowances for holding back. As the dilapidated house came into veiw the stupidity of advancing on a house this well guarded from the front entrance occured to him. In his panic, breath tearing through his lungs, drawing his gun at the sky, he unleashed the full power of his bloody rose. Thorny vines cut deep into his arms and torso, unfurling towards the sky with grace known only to plants. The vines reached two times Zero's height above him, three times his height, in the matter of seconds. There was a fraction of a moments pause, the deep breath before the plunge, and the vines lept explosively into the ground at his feet.

He stood on a pinnacle of earth, in the centre of a crater six feet deep, and twelve wide, thorns twirling around him. His voice deep with emotion, he instructed them simply...

"_Again...!"_

As the Bloody Rose burst once again into the ground, a few of the vines wrapped tighter around Zero, sprouting a few scant leaves in an attempt to shelter their master from the debris raining down upon him as they tumbled through the ceiling of an underground storage room. Thanking his cocoon with a few gentle touches, Zero stepped forward, regaining his bearings. There was but one door, but it led in the opposite direction to where he needed to be. As he stood there frowning, a vine tapped his shoulder to gain his attention. Twining around his ankles like a cat, it unfurled a single black rose towards several creepers that were treating the wall facing his goal as trellis. Nodding consent, plants that could make short work of a stone wall in a few years did so in seconds. And to the next wall, and the next. Leaving a path of destruction in his wake Zero sped towards the room in which that terrifying amount of liquid seduction lay.

His energy and power almost spent, he lent in the gaping hole in the last wall keeping him from her. The fueless Bloody Rose began to shrink back into its dormant form, the dust of stone and mortar settling over the exuberant surroundings like a fine cloud of ash... turning the room to snow. His will to go forward left his heart, but his body continued, to within sight of the bed. His eye trailed from smooth pampered bare feet, along the silver-blue and blood red expanse... a blood stained hand holding and equally marred minature dagger to silk strained tight over a toned flat stomach... he held his breath... More red silk... glistening red flesh... porcelain neck... mahogany curls surrounded a face obscured by milky white fingers.

His chest imploded. He was too late...

.

.

.

.

.

Air ripped from his lungs as he released his imprisoned breath, as the silk shifted to a sitting position, arm sheilding her eyes as she looked up at him, Yuuki groaned...

"Ow! Zero! you got stone dust in my eyes you idiot!" she squeaked, rubbing her eyes furiously.

Cursing as he crossed the distance between them in two strides, lifting her off the bed into his arms, he whispered heatedly into her neck.

"_You _idiot..."

He pressed his lips to hers...

...

**A/n: It doesnt scroll any further, quit trying. X3 more coming I promise.**


	9. Chapter 9: Silence

**A/n: Warning: lemoney, but hopefully still tasteful. Enjoys.**

**Chapter Nine: **Silence

_And now there is merely silence, silence, silence, saying all we did not know - _**William R. Benet**

-_Flashback-_

_Yuuki sat on the end of her bed, dagger in hand, ready for the final test she had devised. She didnt have the guts to die, but the only other way out was escape. To escape, she needed help. Once again she needed Zero. It was only worth escaping if she could have Zero. _

_She needed to bleed enough to lure him to her... Worst case scenario, he'd come to check if she was dead, and if she wasnt, he'd finish her off in her weakened state, and she'd get what she wanted. She slowly drew the knife along her collar bone, one side, then the other, blood streaming down her chest to her ribcage before the bleeding stopped, wounds healed over by vampiric regeneration._

_If he didnt come at all, she'd probably eventually bleed herself to death as she cut repeptetively, in the only place she was certain she couldnt hit anything vital. But then she'd know, there was nothing to live for. She cut again, deeper. This time the streams of blood reached her navel before ceasing to flow._

_She was getting a bit dizzy... she began to realise how stupid an idea this was. The last an final scenario... the best one... was that he cared. That he'd come to find her thinking she was in trouble, then she'd know for sure by his reaction how he felt, regardless of what he said. If she had a chance, just one tiny chance, that he liked and might forgive her for what she was... She couldnt die, she couldnt leave him, she needed him. Now to see if he needed her. She drew the knife as slowly as possible across the only just healed wounds. so that she would bleed for as long as possible. just as the last section managed to clot over, another would be opened. _

_She waited... blood began to dry on her silken dress in some places. She heard a distant crash. She held the dagger to her chest with both hands, hoping, praying it was him. Crash... crash...CRASH..._ CRASH..._ it was getting louder, coming towards her. _

_Suddenly stone flew from the wall in chunks, carpeting the room with debris and dust, still more flew towards her, sheilding her face she clung to the bed, hoping to avoid being brained by a rock. She heard a soft crunch of footsteps as the entered the room, then silence. She tried to open her eyes but dust covered her eyelashes, which prompty fell into her eyes as she blinked. Her heart both lept and twisted as she saw the identity of her visitor, and the look on his face._

_"Ow! Zero! you got stone dust in my eyes you idiot!" she squeaked, rubbing her eyes furiously_.

_Zero cursed and practically ran to her, the breath was knocked out of her as he drew her into a borderline painful hug. It made her head spin. His warm breath on her neck sent shivers down her spine as he whispered that she was the idiot. His mouth met hers... and nothing else mattered._

...

They didnt speak. Anything that needed to be disscussed was lost in the movements of his hand trailing down to her lower back... the other up to her neck. The kiss deepened. Her willing response tore down the last defenses he had, he couldnt hold back, not after thinking he had lost her.

Breathing heavily they drew apart, only just far enough for him to trace the two wounds mimicing the rise of her collar bone with a shaky finger. Questions whirled through his head, _What happened? Did she do this to herself? What was she thinking? _He knew what she had been thinking. He had came to terms with the fact he couldn't have her, or even want her anymore... not that he ever did have her... but he had comforted himself with the fact at least Kaname would keep her safe from malcontents... he hadnt even thought of the possibility if her hurting herself.

He couldnt ask them, not now. Not while she was in his arms, soaked in her own blood... blood...

He felt the glimmer of response of his vampire self to the scent of his love covered in her own sweet life. He was amazed that it had been held back by his rush of emotions till now. He didnt want to drink from her, didnt want to know what she was feeling right now... it might ruin it...

But the blood that had already burst forth from her body, starting to dry on pale skin... surely that was safe... and it might answer the questions as to what she was thinking while she... he didnt want to think about what she had done.

Hesitation in his eyes her drew her bloodstained hand towards his mouth, her only reaction was to tilt her head to one side, eyes half lidded as she regarded his face. She ran her hand down his cheek lightly, without pulling away from his grasp. He kissed the palm of her hand before tasting it. Hope... fear... sadness... but mostly hope... confused he moved towards her once more to the wounds themselves, tracing the bumpy half healed flesh with his tongue. _Zero_. Zero Zero Zero Zerozerozerozerozerozerozero. His own name and face swirled through his head, hope, faith... Zero looking worried... sadness, despair... and empty room... terror... heart break... an angry Zero pointed a gun at her... ...

He looked up from his half-crouching position that he had been forced to take to comfortably reach her collar bone. She'd done it on purpose... luring him here...

Hands on her waist he tried to pull himself back to a standing position, a little angry and confused about how he had answered her unspoken questions. Why would she want me to come here? To a house that reeked of _him._

Now that he thought about it, he sniffed, this room didnt smell of _him_. Only of her. Those other rooms he went through to get here were the opposite. Did that bastard keep her in _one room._ He looked around, hugging her to his chest. Putting the destroyed room back togther in his head. Splintered wood, scattered paper... a desk. Splintered wood, pile of clothes... a wardrobe. A side door left open, revealed a small bathroom. Sure the room was huge, but the furnishings were functional at best. He looked down into his eyes, filled with worry and hope in equal measures. He couldn't stand to see her sad... He kissed both of her eyelids, then her mouth again. Gentler, slower this time. He couldnt believe he'd thought she'd be happy here... a dungeon disguised with gilded furniture and silken drapes.

He was going to pull away again before he got carried away but she was kissing back, and he couldnt stop. All that mattered right then and there was the fact that everything he wanted was there in his arms, and she wanted him too. He couldnt stop... He cradled her back, bending her over backwards with the intensity of his kiss. Long slender fingers grabbing a handful of her hair gently to tilt her head further back to allow his mouth better access.

Hands splayed across his back, she was thankful for his grasp holding her upright because she certainly didnt have the power to stay standing by herself. He seemed to grow more and more heated under her slight touch, his kisses got slightly rougher, but she didnt mind. With every frenzied caress, she was happier and happier... _He doesnt hate me... He likes me... He wants me... _She dug her nails into his back pulling him closer... _Love me... I love you... please love me back... how will I know if he loves me back... _As he dotted feather light kisses along her jawbone and neck, she stopped thinking and just _felt_. She closed her eyes and hoped he never stopped.

He couldnt stop... her eyes closed as she clung to him... her shallow, fast, mewling breaths of response drove him onwards. As he kissed down her neck he noticed a strap on her dress had been half cut by her own assault on her collarbone... the end frayed, just barely hanging on, just like he was... Running his hands over her shoulders, he purposefully caught the offending strap with his thumb... a slight tug was all it needed to come undone, revealing one side of her. Revealing one side of her was all he needed to come undone, another sudden movement slid the other strap from her shoulder and she was revealed further. Instinctually she hunched her shoulders together in an echo of covering herself, but with her hands entwined behind his neck, all it did was emphasise her bare flesh, enticing him further... He kissed her again... removing his own shirt...he couldnt stop...

A calloused but gentle hand ran from her neck down the side of her chest to her waist... then back up, faster... Pausing at her chest just long enough to gently rub her... then even quicker all the way back down, then midway down her thigh, grabbing her leg he pulled it up around his slender hips and held it there. It was happening so fast but if possible she wanted it faster... she was waiting for something, but she didnt know what... the growling heat in her abdomen, sending shivers up her spine to the base of her neck, demanded it. Feeling unbalanced on one tiptoe, she lifted her leg up to meet the other one.

He wasnt expecting her to lift her other leg so suddenly. Off balance, they both fell down onto the bed. For a split second he was annoyed that their kiss had been interupted, before being entirely distracted by the position they were in. Her arms, bent at the elbow lay on either side of her blushing face, surrounded by mussed curls... the one strap left intact hung uselessly around her upper arm, tattered silk framing her bare upper body... He ran his hand swiftly from her knee to her hip on the leg bent up beside him, moving her skirt up to her waist... she gasped. Watching her reaction, while not allowing her time to react, he swiftly removed the lacey barrier that seperated them. He couldnt watch her face any longer, there was too much of the rest of her to take in...

He had never thought there was a scent more sweet to him then Yuuki's blood... but he had found one. On the edge, he bruised every inch of her skin he could get at with a fury of kisses. Grasping her bent leg to him once more, he lent towards the opposite side and ground against her... kissing... licking... gently biting her neck, never breaking the skin. He couldnt stop... the sweet smell intensified... he couldnt bear it any longer, he needed all of her. Fumbling slightly with his belt, he pushed her skirts higher whilst pushing his own clothing lower. Succeeding, he searched... and found.

She knew what she wanted a split second before she recieved it. A foreign intrusion that felt so right... a slight aching pain went unnoticed amounst the torrents of emotion washing over her... Zero... here... like this... Tears came to her eyes unbidden as she clung to his heaving chest, pawing at him, silently driving him on. Time seemed to stop as the rocked rythmically together, each of them trying to pull the other closer then physically possible, wanting... needing. Breathing heavily she vaguely registered that Zero seemed to have stopped breathing, and was clinging to her harder then ever. She drew her nails slowly down his back hard enough to draw blood as he moved to meet her once more... a low rumble of breath being languorously let go... a few long, slow movements... followed by fufilled silence.


	10. Chapter 10: Discovery

**A/n: Its still going... for a while yet lol I only originally planned 5 chapters... and im only halfway through the content of those planned chapters... The epic tale continues *Dun dun duuuun***

**Chapter Ten: **Discovery

_Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. The fearful are caught as often as the bold_. - **Helen Keller**

What seemed like an eternity to the two lovers was in reality a very short amount of time. Shouts and crashing in the distance alerted them to the fact Zero's path of rampant destruction through the underground network had been discovered. Although the various detection charms and vampiric wards hiding the buildings existence severely dampened the guards ability to detect where the intruder was headed, they could guess quite easily. To be sure, Kain and Ruka sent the low ranking guards to follow the trail of rubble, and headed towards Yuuki's room.

Zero lifted himself slowly as the shouts met their ears, held up by one arm, he cupped her cheek and noticed partially dried tears. Panic swirled within him, _had he forced her! _He thought... she seemed... he didnt...

"Yuuki...! what have I done?"

He wanted to die, he had to die... he had always considered himself a filthy beast, not worthy of her... this proved it... the worst thing he could do... All the joy and wonder of the last few minutes suddendly seemed vile and dirty... Horrible... Terrible... he had... to her... _Forcibly..._

Yuuki saw the self loathing in his eyes, realising his train of thought she desperately tried to get his attention.

"Zero! ZERO! look at me! No! you didnt..." she turned him to face her, begging with him. He was closing his eyes to avoid looking at the hurt he must have caused her... "Look at me!" Despite his horrible guilt, he couldnt refuse her... He looked at her. She was drowning in the despair in his eyes... swallowing her embarassment over discussing what had just transpired between them, she kissed him. Long, slow and sweet, before she began. "Zero... How could you think...? I wanted to... I wanted _you_.. to... with me..." she blushed, wanting to look away, but she knew it would break him if she did. She saw a flicker of hope in his eyes that was quickly pushed aside by fear and doubt.

"You were crying..." He whispered huskily, brushing the tear marks aside with his thumb... hardly daring to believe her.

"Yes I was... It wasnt because you were... you could _never_ do that... I dont believe for a second that you would... I _was _crying. _Happy_ tears Zero, I felt so... loved... wanted... It feels so right... Like things could never be bad again as long as I had you, here, with me."

Zero began to smile slightly... endorphins starting to win the war against his unreasonable fear.  
"Thats my Zero..." She whispered to herself, pulling him down on her once more. Hugging away his fear as she stroked his hair like when they were young...

He relaxed under her touch as he always did... he was so glad the he didnt...that she did... He slowly inhaled the soft scent of her skin... smiling into her neck over his incredible luck...  
They stayed like that for a few more minutes, before the crashing sounds were becoming too much louder to ignore... Dissapointed that the perfect little world they had created on the bed was about to be destroyed, Zero eased himself off her, and offered his hand to her, pulling her to her feet.

"Umm... maybe you should... change..." He gestured at the stained, ripped, rumpled clothing she was holding to her chest to cover herself.

"Yeah..." Yuuki looked at herself and started to giggle uncontrollably...  
"Yuuki..." Zero said, getting serious now.  
"I know, I know..." she said winding down, "But...for a minute... I didnt even notice the state im in..." she started up again.  
He looked at her standing there, laughing despite being in iminent danger, facing god knows how many guards, not to mention what would happen when Kaname found out... That was his Yuuki... How could he have ever thought she wasnt...

...

"Wait... I think I hear something..." lied Kain, holding Ruka back from entering the room.  
"I can sense someone in there Kain, let me in!" she stage whispered, frustrated at her lack of ability to get past him. Kaname would kill them if they let somebody get to his stupid little "Wife". "She could be in danger DAMMIT let me in!"  
"She's not." Kain said simply. "I can tell who's in there and they wont thank us for barging in right now."  
Poleaxed by this statement, she resigned herself to waiting just one more minute.

...

Zero handed her a simple dress, and insisted on turning his back on her while she changed. She shook her head at his sillyness and snuck glances at him over her shoulder as they both redressed. His awkward stance now that he wasnt emboldened by the fear of losing her amused her to no end. They could both feel the presence of two vampires outside the door, and were undecided on their course of action.

Decent, Zero jerked his head towards the rubble, asking if they should go the way that had weaker, but more guards, then raised his eyebrows towards the main door. Yuuki shook her head and sat down, hands folded in her lap. Confused and frustrated he hissed at her...

"What _now_?"  
"Were ready!" she raised her voice towards the door, making no effort to be quiet.  
Glaring at her, Zero assumed a fighting stance, Bloody Rose ready at his side, facing the door that opened to reveal a moody Ruka and bored-as-usual Kain. Ruka surveyed the room, her face turned from annoyed to shocked as she took in Zero, the damaged room, and the blood-and-a-few-other-things stained dress on the floor.

"Yoh." Kain said with a slight wave of one hand, silencing Ruka's inevitable outburst with the other.  
"Hey..." answered Zero.  
"So... you guys... together huh?" Kain commented as Yuuki moved to stand behind Zero, latching on to his free hand. Zero flicked a glance towards her, she squeezed his hand, and he focused on Kain again.  
"Yeah."  
Both Zero and Yuuki would swear later that they heard him mutter "About bloody time" before he continued.  
"We are here to prevent any harm from coming to you, Yuuki-Sama."  
"Yes, but...!"  
"Kaname-Sama would be very displeased with us if we allowed you to leave."  
"Yes, but...!"  
"Least of all with Kiryuu-kun."  
"YES, I _know_! But..!"  
"We cant disobey the _direct orders_ of a pureblood."

Yuuki looked mildly confused for a minute, feeling like she was missing something.  
"Uhm..."  
"Yuuki-_sama_, We have not been ordered to keep you here, only to keep you safe. _Do you understand?_"  
"Uhm..." she blushed, "...not really no."  
Dragging his hand down his face in exasperation, Kain looked at Zero. Realising that he was trying to help, and the lack of danger posed by them, Zero lowered his gun.  
"What hes trying not to say is, if you told him to let us go he'd technically have to comply Yuuki." Zero squeezed her hand back, "As long as you think you will be safe with me." He risked taking his eyes off the two nobles to look at her.

Ruka, finally freeing herself from Kain's restraining hand/arm, shot him a venomous glare and started towards the couple.  
"You _cannot_ do this to Kaname-Sama! He has been nothing but kind to you! He _loves _you!" Ruka spat her words at them, "Indulging your childish whims if possible. You _owe _him."  
"Would you rather she stayed here with him, not loving him. Leading him on? Theres a reason destined vampire couples stay together so long. If its real, only their partners blood can quench their thirst." Kain monotoned, picking up a hunk of rubble and crushing it to dust with his hand. The others looked at him as though he had grown horns. "What." He retaliated.  
Ruka hesitated, images of her comforting Kaname flashed through her mind. That moment of hesitation was as good as her agreement to the rest of them.

"Kain-kun!" Yuuki attempted to sound imposing, smothering a smile, Kain knelt, hand over his heart.  
"Yes, Yuuki-sama."  
"I want you to..."  
"_Order_ him to, _order._"  
"Uhm yes, I _order_ you to let me pass. I am not in danger, and I order you not to follow me... us."  
Kain and Zero nodded approval, Ruka ignored them all, lost in her imagination. The Yuuki ruined it all by adding with a smile:  
"Thank you! Kain-sempai"

Opening the double doors and with a hint of mocking, bowing them out, they made a silent farewell. Letting Yuuki get a little ahead of him Zero turned back to the nobleman.  
"Your actually not that bad," Zero smirked, "For a vampire."  
Knowing this was the most open declaration of thanks and friendship Zero could muster given their standings, Kain smiled.  
"You too... for a hunter."

Zero caught up to Yuuki as the door clicked closed behind them, plunging the hallway into darkness. Grabbing her hand, he pulled her onwards.

"Lets go, Yuuki."

... 


	11. Chapter 11: Escape

**A/N: I know I know I know... You hate me... This update took forever... apologies for the BawBaw and Q.Q'ing I may have caused. The pitterpatter of not two, but four tiny feet is somewhat disruptive to a household D: Heres a cliffhanger to keep this going a little longer before I bring it to a close. **

**P.S. Im up to chapter 69 of the manga, and Im forseeing things going us Zeki fans way rather soon :D Cant wait for the inspiration to spout a dozen more great fics for me to read.**

**...**

**Chapter Eleven: **Escape

_If I'm free, it's because I'm always running_. - **Jimi Hendrix**

They ran. Knowing that death followed them with every step they made, at twice the speed. They slept very little, daring only to sleep in turns, during the glaring heat of midday. The constant pace began to take its toll on them. Despite the fact that daylight was the safest time to be moving around, as it was the most inconveinient time for those who pursued to be moving around, they were the same species, and it hurt them as much as it helped.

They didnt have the energy to talk much, but words still weren't very neccessary as they knew each other so well they could comunicate with very little. They knew what had passed between them was somewhat inevitable, guessed each others feelings, but never said it outloud. Afraid that would make it real, afraid that then they'd be admitting they had something to lose... each other.

It was the sixth night of running when Yuuki collapsed in mid stride. Rushing to her side Zero offered her the makeshift waterbottle they had been filling at every stream they passed, never sure how long it would be till the next one. She pushed the water away panting, resting his hand on her forehead he tried to look into her eyes, she was icey cold.

"...Yuuki?" she continued to avoid his gaze, his stomach twisted with worry and guilt, had he been pushing their pace too hard?  
"Mmm... Zero..." she muttered still trying to deny him eye contact.  
"Yuuki, look at me." Zero demanded to no avail, but then he added "Please..."

She felt like she should refuse but she couldnt do so to that pleading tone of his. She tilted her head upwards so that he could see her, but continued to look to the side, so that she wouldnt see his reaction. Her eyes glowed scarlet, pupils reduced to tiny points of darkness, flickering as she breathed heavily.

"Yuuki! you're starving... why didnt you tell me...?" He asked, unsure if he wanted to hear the answer. Didn't she want his blood? Would it satisfy her? Did she miss _his_ blood...?  
She slapped his hand away from her face, then imediately felt bad about it. After a pause, she grabbed his still outstretched arm and rubbed her cheek on the back of his hand, apologising. Turning his hand to cup her cheek he silently forgave her, and waited for her to make the next move.

"Zero I... I dont want to... you know... cause it might remind you of that woman... I know you dont want me to be a vampire."  
The self disgust in her voice brought his empathey to the surface. Hugging her to him he tilted her face up to recieve his kiss, holding her perfectly still maintaining their connection untill she calmed down. Her eyes dulled slightly from the soothing effect of his touch, but the thirst was still present.  
"I dont want to take anything from you you dont want to give..." she said looking down, stroking the side of his neck absent mindedly.

"Who else could I possibly want to give it to?" Zero half-smiled at the thought. It was so rare to see even a small smile, especially in their current situation, Yuki couldnt help but feel the seriousness of the occasion dissapate as quickly as it gathered. She smiled at him, he felt his heart break a little... everytime she smiled at him, just for him... he loved her so much he thought his heart would burst, break into a million pieces... and even then, he would scoop them up off the floor and give them to her. His heart had always been hers.

Suddenly serious again Zero pulled Yuuki closer, his hot breath on her neck... unable to hide his own hunger any longer.  
"If you dont... I will..." he panted.  
"You first..."  
He needed no further encouragement. His increasing bloodtablet habit had done nothing to quench his true thirst, his thirst for the one he loved. He prepared her neck with a series of long, slow licks.

Nostalgia rolled over her in waves... this wonderful quivering anticipation. The nervous heat in her stomach that she now recognised for physical attraction. For a moment she forgot her own hunger, and lost herself as he pierced her flesh.

Warmth filled him as her life trickled down his throat, her thoughts and desires laid bare. Her stifled ardour only encouraged him further, biting as deep as he dared, his slaked his thirst in a surprisingly short amount of time. Her rich, awakened blood was far more potent than it used to be, but he was in no rush to stop. Nuzzling the blood that drew trails down her perfect skin, he afectionately cleaned her as he continued to take a drop here and there.

She began to squirm slightly, then to jiggle up and down a bit. Making tiny impatient sighs. He swallowed a faint laugh, continuing whilst pretending not to notice. Her hands clenched and unclenched repeatedly on the back of his shirt, neading him slighly. He finally pulled away and smiled at her, but as she leaned towards his neck he stopped her with a finger on her lips.

"One sec..."  
She grumbled something similar to "What NOW..." before her moved his hair aside for her.  
"... now it should be easier." he grinned

Unamused, she grabbed the side of his neck with both hands, and bit deep between them, holding him to the side as much as she could to make up for her short stature. He felt a flutter of annoyance from the part of him that despised his own kind, but Yuuki's touch was overwhelming, she wanted him. She needed him. That was all he could ever want or need from her, and in return he offered his undying love along with his life, his quickened pulse aiding her in her tentative approaches.

As they drew apart, another lust grew. Fueled by their indulged primitve desires, agreed on by their exhausted minds, they decided to stop earlier then normal, to recap feelings shared after the terror of her possible death. As they talked in the dying afternoon light, one thing led to another. Slower, more delicate this time. The constant awareness that at any time, it could be the last time they could be together tinged their actions with a sadness that made their love sweeter, more defined, but no less passionate. His finallly reciprocated love drove him to lavish attention on her to the point of almost ignoring his own desires, but she reminded him.

...

They awoke to the sounds of the night as the moon reached the highest point in the sky. Zero drew away from their resting place, and the stirring Yuuki, with a sudden realisation. Not only did they stay in one place for a long time, at night, but... he took in the sights and smells of their surroundings. Her blood, and his... mixed together in some places. Scents of shared pleasure... clothes thrown aside... burnt out remains of a fire they spontaniously lit to remind them that there was some warmth left in the world. A unhindered mess... a pugnent mess... so easy to smell... to find.

"Yuuki... wake up! hurry!"  
"...hmmnnhm"  
"Yuuki!"

He pulled her to her feet, clutched to his chest they stood, blasted by a chill wind. Gusts howled through the trees, leaves whipping around their feet, bringing the chitter of bats to their straining ears.

The thump of two feet hitting the ground.  
The sound of two hearts moving as one skipping a beat.  
The soft hiss of hair being drawn aside to reveal glowing red eyes.

Found.


	12. Chapter 12: Scent

**Chapter Twelve: **Scent

_Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it. -_ **Mark Twain**

They held each other even closer. Their twisted survival instincts of not protecting themselves were strangely complementary. As flaring of purebred lungs stole the warmth from the air, every bright, hopeful moment the discovered pair had relished seemed lost to their fears...

With mutual loathing palpable in the very air surrounding them, the inevitable standoff commenced.

"Return my fiancé to me at once _Kiryuu,_" Kaname spat, "Just because she is too weak to fight you, you cannot assume her to be consenting. Yuuki, _come_"

She stiffened, moving so slightly as to be only noticed by his arm around her. Terror struck as the possibility of her denying their involvement dawned upon him. He wanted to jump in, to answer for her, stick up for them both, but as always when the risk of shaming her arose, he held his tongue. What if she truly didn't want him anymore?... What if this was just an adventure, an affair caused by the cold feet of a long term relationship?... What if... what if... what if...

Like a dog... a pet that has strayed, distracted by a worthless event. That was how he saw her... saw them... She stiffened. Any lingering illusions over Kaname's treatment of her dissipated. They could not be friends... or even enemies... without it hurting Zero... she could put up with snide glances and passive aggressive insults directed at herself... but the hatred of the way that... that... _creature_ in front of her referred to the man she loved made her want to slap his arrogant presumptuous face. She started forward slightly, but held herself in check.

Zero stiffened and clutched Yuuki imperceptibly closer subconsciously. Risking taking her eyes off the known enemy to sneak a glance at Zero's harrowed face she saw that he too was holding back something... needing something... unsure of himself.

"Don't worry," He smirked misreading her reaction "He won't dare to damage you. If he lets go of you immediately I will even consider killing him quickly..."

Fear was quickly becoming the kindling... enhancing the speed at which the fire of anger could be inflamed. Stoked by the utter lack of kindness and sparks of insulting barbs. The soft breaths of his "victorious villain" esque monologue fuelled their emotions.

Beginning to sense their lack of acquiescence, Kaname seemed to become taller, his body language became more aggressive. The couple drew apart slightly, though maintaining tightly clutched hands. They looked at each other just long enough for her to clasp his hand a fraction tighter, and to exchange a flicker of a smile.

Infuriated by their seemingly silent communication Kaname began to narrow the distance between them with a few sharp strides, slowing just before reaching arm distance. Losing control over his usual facade.

"Ungrateful little bitch... I watched over you, saved you, fed you, and housed you! And how do you repay my generosity? Disobedience and consorting with barbaric fools! Not once did you pay me the respect due to the master of your house, thank me! And yet you stand there ignorantly believing in my ability to share my forgiveness with you as well, why else could you be stupid enough to stand there assuming you will be allowed to live. Allowed by _me_ just as I allowed this filth to be around you for the remainder of his pitiful existence."

Zero muttered to Yuuki.

"I'm sorry to have had such unreasonable expectations of intelligence from such a thankless, powerless, _slut._"

Yuuki stood tiptoed to whisper something to Zero in reply.

They smiled...  
Time slowed almost to a standstill...  
Clarity from fear and apprehension poured over them like molten glass...  
Zero released Yuuki's hand and spoke clearly for all to hear...

"Love you. ...My Yuuki."  
"Your Yuuki... I like that..." she smiled "I love you too."

Further enraged Kaname lunged forwards, seizing Zero's left arm with an iron grip. Twisting to the side Zero punched with his free hand, once... twice... into his enemy's stomach forcing him to let go and double over in pain. Fingernails suddenly like overgrown talons, with all the malice of his centuries of life he slashed the offending arm as it reached for metal warmed by body-heat and fury. Drawing back in an attempt to line up a likely shot was cut short by a well aimed kick. Stumbling, he fell prey to supernatural speed as blood dripped into one of his eyes from a long but shallow cut.

"Zero...?" Yuuki prepared to jump into the fray with all the combat ability she could muster.  
"Its fine." Zero assured her as the two men struggled body to body... one... two... shots rang out into the air, manoeuvring downward, a third shot with a fleshy thud... staggering... a fourth... with the crack of bones and sickening wetness, the fifth and final... hollow and drawn out... the thump of two bodies hitting the ground.

She knelt at her loves side, shocked by his dismissal of his somewhat lacking amount of toes, as he handed her the bloody rose with a pain tinged look of triumph. She walked hesitantly over to Kaname's vanquished form, and the sparkles of rising dust emanating from the gaping hole where his heart should be. He gurgled indistinguishably as she rolled him with her foot so they were face to face. The source of his muteness revealed to be a missing lower jaw, he struggled enraged by the sight of the gun in her hand. Smiling, she raised the muzzle of the gun to his forehead at point blank range.

"I forgive you."

...

BANG


End file.
